Introduction
The current curriculum for the newly established National Security College is based on four levels that include the strategic context, strategy, national security and instruments of power. The college’s mission is to prepare civilians and military leaders to assess the challenges to the national, regional and international security. The following is a proposal to enhance the curriculum for the college. The enhancement will be based on feedback obtained from the first batch of college graduates. The feedback emphasized the importance of focusing on the human factor, which entails fostering high loyalty, self-development and a positive attitude.
High Sense of Loyalty and Belongingness towards the Country
A sense of belonging is a concept of relationship, which is exhibited by civic responsibility to one’s nation. In order to prepare students, the component is very crucial as it incorporates the emotional aspect; hence, the free will to protect the country1.
Incorporating the Factor into the Curriculum
One of the core objectives of the current curriculum is to create skills and strategically align the learners to practice in collaborative and complex circumstances. The incorporation of factors into the curriculum will entail the introduction of course units that define the importance of unity and personal responsibility towards the nation. The curriculum will be designed by factoring in the various aspects that align the curriculum with the requirements of the national symbols, citizenship, representation of the country, and fostering the sense of being ambassadors.
Demonstrating the Factor to the Students
An effective curriculum should address the needs of the end-users understandably and realistic2. The demonstration of the various aspects will be based on goals of what each factor is expected to achieve. For example, fostering loyalty will be depended on various factors that transform the attitudes and thinking of the students towards the self and the country. Therefore, to achieve the transformative goal, courses that foster national unity and patriotism will be integrated into the curriculum.
Instilling the Factors into the Program
The key concept of a good curriculum is keeping the end-user of the product in mind. The concept ensures that the product designed transforms the learner and is aligned with the needs of the society3. Therefore, the concepts of the factor related to the program’s objectives. The course on the loyalty and belonging will be put on the national security level of the present curriculum.
Positive Attitude and Appropriate Personality Behavior
The positive attitude and appropriate personality is meant to increase enthusiasm and create a positive perception and attitudes towards the employer. Candidates who demonstrate positive attitudes and eagerness to perform a job are more productive than skilled employees who have negative attitudes4.
Incorporating the Factors into the Curriculum
For students to develop a positive and appropriate personality, educators must create a curriculum that enhances participation, access and progression for all learners5. Therefore, the curriculum will be designed in a manner that the interaction between the learner and the curriculum is considered. Core aspects that enhance individual development will be included in the design of the curriculum.
Demonstrating the Factors to the Students
The demonstration will entail establishing the context for initiating and fostering the goals that promote personality character. The factor will be demonstrated to the students by the use of examples that foster personal development. A core point of demonstrating the factor will be use of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and their application in developing a positive image towards self.
Instilling the Factors into the Program
The overall goal is to have a comprehensive curriculum that will produce holistic graduates ready to assess the various challenges of security. Therefore, for the factor to be valid it should align with the intended outcomes. The factors will be instilled in the program at the national security level by use of the units that foster the understanding of the nation and the relationship between security of an entity and a positive attitude towards duties to the employer.
Continuous Self-development and self-Assessment towards Self-growth
The factor of self-development entails the commitment by an individual to enhance knowledge and understanding of the self during his/her career practice. The aspect is based on positive development and realization of personal potential.
Incorporating the Factor into the Curriculum
Learning programs are designed to equip learners with the right knowledge and expertise. The factor will be incorporated into the curriculum by designing learning activities that promote learners’ persistence and independent development. Specific strategies aimed at promoting personal development and fostering student interactions will be the basis of incorporating the factor into the curriculum.
Demonstrating the Factor to the Students
Research shows that people are motivated and more efficient when they work on the goals they have set. Therefore, the demonstration of the factor to the students will be based on the importance of setting goals to enhance personal growth in which case examples will be used.
Instilling the Factor into the Program
The program will be incorporated in the current curriculum in the strategy level under the strategic leadership. The factor will be designed to promote the concepts of understanding in a manner that is in line with the anticipated outcome. The concepts that relate to personal development will be designed to be within the scope of the overall program objectives.
Conclusion
An effective curriculum should be designed to attain the required objectives. A curriculum should result in a holistic individual who fits in the society. In the modern society, education has become a crucial component of development that gives the learners experience to fit and lead change in the society. Therefore, the three factors will be integral in ensuring that the graduates are productive and can address the various challenges that relate to security.
Bibliography
Bamber, Veronica, and Murray Saunders. Enhancing Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Curriculum in Higher Education. Maidenhead, England: McGraw-Hill, 2009.
David, Rose and Anne Meyer. A practical reader in universal design for learning. Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press, 2006.
Meo, Grace. “Curriculum Planning for All Learners.” Educational Leadership, 58, no.1 (2008): 39–43.
Rashidah, Mamat. “Sense of belonging to the country: assessing patriotism, loyalty and national allegiance.” Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies 48, no. 4 (2011): 131-145
Footnotes
1 Rashidah, Mamat. “Sense of belonging to the country: assessing patriotism, loyalty, and national allegiance.” Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies 48, no. 4 (2011): 139
2ally Veronica Bamber and Murray Saunders. Enhancing Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Curriculum in Higher Education (Maidenhead, England: McGraw-Hill, 2009), 14.
3 Rose David and Anne Meyer. A practical reader in universal design for learning (Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press, 2006), 7.
4 Grace Meo. “Curriculum Planning for All Learners.” Educational Leadership, 58, no.1 (2008): 41.
5 Mamat Rashidah. “Sense of belonging to the country: assessing patriotism, loyalty, and national allegiance.” Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies 48, no. 4 (2011): 141.